“Americans for Financial Reform (AFR) appreciates the opportunity to provide this statement for the record of this Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee hearing, which considers several bills that would significantly undermine consumer financial protection and the safety and soundness of the financial system. Although the hearing is entitled “Examining Legislative Proposals to Provide Targeted Regulatory Relief to Community Financial Institutions,” the bills under consideration are not focused principally on community financial institutions. The most sweeping provisions of these bills apply to all institutions, many of which would radically decrease oversight of the nation’s largest banks and increase the risk of harm to the public.”

“This legislation would be better dubbed ‘Wall Street’s CHOICE Act,’ because it would have a devastating effect on the capacity of regulators to protect the public interest and defend consumers from Wall Street wrongdoing and the economy from risks created by too-big-to-fail financial institutions.” — testimony at House Financial Services Committee hearing, April 26

“There is a clear and compelling public interest that Congress continue to support vigorous enforcement of laws that protect military families from wrongful financial practices… [T]he strong record of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its Office of Servicemember Affairs underscores the need for Congress to resist efforts that seek to hamstring this work. Tampering with the agency’s authorities, structure, and independence would be harmful to military families and honest companies across the country.”

In the new political environment, it is likely that there will be a heavy emphasis on the capital formation mission of the SEC. The IAC should play a critical role in reminding the Commission that investor protection is crucial to stable and effective capital formation. …Improving financial entity disclosures is crucial if we are to improve market discipline for large financial entities and investor discipline for funds.

“In considering the topic of today’s hearing – the implications of the Financial Stability Board for U.S. growth and competitiveness – I believe the starting point should be the actual powers and responsibilities of the Financial Stability Board (FSB). “

“Today’s hearing asks us to consider the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on small banks. I want to make two broad points. First, community banks face economic headwinds that are unrelated to Dodd-Frank, connected both to long-term trends and to the effects of the financial crisis itself. Second, the big picture is that community banks have returned to profitability under Dodd-Frank. In 2015, over 95% of community banks earned a profit – up from just 78% in 2010, the year Dodd-Frank was passed.”